A Security Update & Wishes for the New Year
 

On behalf of all of us at Jewish Federation I want to wish you a shana tova! 

As we head into Rosh Hashanah we want to bring you an update from Jason Murray, the new chair of our Community Security Advisory Committee. It is part of a bi-annual series we started when the committee began its work. Many of you already know Jason, who has long been an active member of our community, including having served on our board. Community security has been a strategic priority of ours for many years, and it is part of what you support when you make your Annual Campaign gift.  

Before we get to that, I want to shine a light on three people who have done amazing things this week. 

The first is our board chair, Candace Kwinter, who I want to thank for representing us in Ottawa at the annual parliamentary reception and a series of meetings with key political stakeholders hosted by our advocacy agent, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).  

The second is Malcolm Weinstein, who was president of our board from 1995 to 1997. For the 14th year he has written a special Rosh Hashanah prayer for Congregation Beth Israel and he has graciously agreed to let us share it with you. Thank you, Malcolm! 

The third is Russ Klein, head of school at King David High School. The KDHS board announced yesterday that Russ will step down in 2024, and so while we are sad to see him move on from the incredible work he has done at the school, we are very glad to have two more years to work with him in this capacity. We wish him all the best.  

I also want to urge you to take action with CIJA against the outrageous letter from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh that demonizes everyone who identifies with and feels a connection to the Jewish state. Policies like those we saw in the letter breed antisemitism here at home – they put Jews in danger. Click here.  

Now, here is the update from Jason. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have altered ways in which we interact with family and friends, how we work, and how we assemble as a community. Contemplating these changes as we prepare to gather again for Rosh Hashanah presents an opportunity to reflect on one of our Federation’s strategic priorities: community security.  

Our Federation established the Community Security Advisory Committee in 2015 to assess the risks facing community institutions and propose strategies for a comprehensive approach to security and safety that will serve our community over the long term. The committee works to support our Federation and director of security, Daniel Heydenrych-Davis, on issues such as institutional and event security, emergency planning, communication, education, and – of growing importance – cybersecurity. 

As we have all come to rely on information technology with ever-increasing frequency, we have exposed ourselves to online threats we might not have imagined before. This is as true for individuals as it is for our community’s institutions. 

Under the knowledgeable leadership of co-chairs Stan Shaw and Eli Mann, the Cybersecurity and Information Protection Subcommittee have assembled trusted cybersecurity resources and embarked upon a program of cybersecurity assessments for interested partner agencies. These confidential assessments are an important tool meant to raise cybersecurity awareness, help understand risks, and provide practical recommendations to the agencies. And through generous support of the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, the subcommittee now offers partner agencies free access to engaging and practical cybersecurity awareness training. 

While online challenges continue to emerge and evolve, more traditional threats remain. According to the most recent Statistics Canada data released on police-reported crime, reports of religiously motivated hate crimes have grown by 67 per cent compared to 2020 and the Jewish community was the most frequent target of these reports. The importance of securing our community infrastructure and fostering strategic relationships continues.  

I was fortunate to witness the Community Security Advisory Committee’s work from my past vantage point as a volunteer with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ (CIJA) Local Partnership Council. One of several remarkable accomplishments I appreciated was the close relationship that our committee’s immediate past-chair, Bernard Pinsky, forged with the Vancouver Police Department and other law enforcement agencies throughout the Lower Mainland. 

As we assemble in the coming days, and in numbers not seen since before the pandemic, I urge you to take note of the important investments that our synagogues have made in upgrading security infrastructure, engaging security professionals, and training volunteers. These are some of the most visible examples of security investments our Federation and its partners have made over the past few years. 

Finally, please know that the Community Security Advisory Committee’s important work would not be possible without the dedication of its volunteers, professionalism of Federation staff, and generosity of our Federation’s donors, all of whom help ensure that we not only continue to emerge from the pandemic demonstrably safer, but that we likewise enter 5783 with a strengthened sense of security.  

May 5783 be a year of blessing, joy, peace, good health, and safety. 

Ketivah v’chatima tovah and Shabbat shalom.

Shabbat shalom and shana tova! 

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver